From “Just For Laughs” to Late Night with Fallon, it’s a long road traveled

Â MONTREAL (RUSHPRNEWS) 7/21/08 – Comedian Jimmy Fallon was a busy man this past week at the 26th annual Montreal “Just for Laughs Festival” where he returns after 12 years. Back then, he was a totally unknown, and now the likeable jokester has been nominated to take over Conan O’Brien’s coveted job as host of Late Night in 2009, when O’Brien assumes control of The Tonight Show.

What a difference 12 years make. Jimmy, who obviously is more comfortable in an ensemble cast, hosted the gala with a little help from his friends.

Fallon called upon the ghost of past attending comedians by impersonating the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Wright, Roger Dangerfield, Bill Cosby, Robin Williams, and even presented the audience with a taped rendition of Silverman’s notorious “I F**ed Matt Damon”, changed to “I F**d Canadians”. These are stand-ups coming from a wide spectrum of comedy, and a forecast of what was next to come.

The guests in order of appearance were Terry McGurrin, New Yorker Elon Gold, David Pryde, Patrice Oneal, Montrealer Laurie Elliot, British Brendon Burns, Arj Barker, and the best for last was served with the duo Unplanned, comprised of the incomparable Stiles and Proops.

A medley of comedians giving performances that ranged from the astute observations of Mc Gurrin’s family life to the OCD’s maniacal visit to British Burns’ world. Later on, Barker whose best known for his role alongside the two wacky kiwis in “Flight of the Concords,” presented us with a snotty Google who speaks to us with “a tone”. O’Neal’s known as the “Comics’ comic” tightly scripted astute observations of an evening on the couch with his girlfriend was as far as it gets to the totally improvised Ryan Stiles and Greg Proops’ last act of sheer madness, where they grabbed an unwilling housekeeper up to the stage, squeezed her between them on a leather couch and finally sang her a ballad of life’s discontent, with the help of Jim Fallon’s guitar playing.

The finally came too fast with Jimmy and the cast of performers carrying signs, joined in by Jesus, bearded Jews and Muslims, and a handful of extras dressed in sixties tie die singing “Car Wash for Peace”. The Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival ends Sunday, July 20th, with the All Star Gala. The line up includes, Danny Bhoy, Ron James, Ron White, Paula Poundstone, Larry Miller and others.

Jimmy Fallon will be hosting again a gala at the Toronto Just for Laughs festival on July 26th. The Toronto Just for Laughs festival runs from July 23 to the 27th.Michael Monaghan contributed to this report.